san francisco peaks scenic loop drive

The 49-Mile Scenic Drive is a designated scenic road tour highlighting much of San Francisco, California. Join us in walking the city’s historic 49 Mile Scenic Drive in chunks over the course of nine months. The San Francisco Peaks are the remnants of a stratovolcano that once rose to a height of 16,000 feet. On your left, the vibrant yellow leaves of young aspen stands pop against black remnants of the 1996 Hochderffer Fire. To your left and straight ahead, grass-covered cinder hills might be dappled in shadows beneath cotton-ball clouds. Turn left, and before long, you’ll hit the blacktop of U.S. Route 89 for the drive back to Flagstaff. Turn left onto FS 151 and drive south 8 miles to Hwy 180. To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs. From the Abineau (#127) and Bear Jaw (#26) trails, on the north slope of the San Francisco Peaks, you can see the Grand Canyon seventy miles away. And they may not be finished. This 235 mile loop takes you through old mining towns, spectacular scenery, and exhilarating twists & turns. The San Francisco Peaks Scenic Road was designated on January 12, 1990, by the Arizona Department of Transportation. This road is within the Colorado Plateau Region and is distinguished by remarkable canyons and mountain ranges. The San Francisco Peaks are a quiet volcanic mountain range with six summits including Mount Humphreys towering at 12,633 feet, the tallest peak in the state. At a Glance. At a Glance. Red Mountain Trail #159: With Grand Canyon beckoning just up the highway, most folks breeze past Red Mountain with barely a glance. Coconino National Forest, FlagstaffBy Annette McGivney. Roger Naylor is a long-time Arizona Republic contributor and the author of seven books, including "Arizona State Parks," which won a 2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award in the Travel category. There are two options, a 0.25-mile paved loop suitable for wheelchairs or the longer 1.5-mile loop that pushes deeper into the woods, past an aspen grove and returns along the edge of a lanky meadow. And welcome to my world! It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban. Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Since you likely didn’t come all this way to hang out in Valle, turn north on Arizona 64 to continue to Grand Canyon National Park. This loop of state-maintained highways through the San Juan Mountains can be done in your own car and at your own leisure, but be aware that various parts of this beautiful, scenic drive do feature steep drop-offs without guardrails. If there’s anything we can all agree on, it’s that Arizona has some spectacular scenery. It's part of a 64-acre Twin Peaks Natural Area and is free to visit 365 days a year (the peaks themselves cover about 31-acres). As you make your way up FR 151, you’ll quickly see what you’ve come for: the towering Peaks, dead ahead, with their steep slopes draped in cascades of gold. The best part of the San Francisco Peaks Drive is the 14-mile-long unpaved stretch of road, linking Highways 89 and 180. Share. As the road continues, evidence of past fires are visible as well as the regeneration process. At 12,633 feet, Humphreys Peak is the highest point in Arizona and also where you’ll find the only alpine tundra in the state. The steep, challenging hike is just under 10 miles round trip, ending with a lung-squeezing slog across treeless tundra. San Francisco Peaks Scenic Road Overview: Passing through thick forests, mountain meadows and sagebrush flats, this road travels along the edge of … Carry plenty of water. Driving down Hwy 89 toward the San Francisco Peaks from the town of Gray Mountain, AZ. Meadows spread wide through here, a good area to spot wildlife. As someone who has spent decades rambling around this remarkable state, I know that Arizona is road trip nirvana. Information for all hiking trails: 928-526-0866, www.fs.usda.gov/coconino. Take An Unforgettable Scenic Drive Around The Highest Mountains In Arizona. Housed in a building of volcanic rock, the Pioneer Museum covers a wide range of the region’s past. As you enter the wide grasslands of Kendrick Park, glance up the slopes of the peaks and you’ll see the shimmering green of fast-growing aspen saplings filling the place where ponderosa pines once stood. Flagstaff is the closest major city to the loop, so it’s generally wise to begin your San Francisco Peaks Arizona road trip there. Like many of our scenic drives, this one can be done in either direction. On this trip, ... you can loop back to San Francisco by continuing on 92 to 280 (recommended) or 101 (blech! Length: 49.3-mile loop (from Flagstaff)Directions: From downtown Flagstaff, go northwest on U.S. Route 180 for 19 miles to Forest Road 151. The San Francisco Peaks Scenic Road was designated on January 12, 1990, by the Arizona Department of Transportation. For the last stretch of highway, you’re clear of the forest and rolling across sagebrush prairie. The leaf-peeping crowds are so thick there on weekends that parking is often impossible. But the problem for people seeking to get their annual leaf-peeping fix is that popular spots high on the mountains can feel as congested as a shopping mall’s parking lot on Christmas Eve. This scenic drive takes you to the North Rim and passes by the Kaibab Plateau. (Photo: Courtesy of Mike Koopsen). Basically just assume every hill and mountain you see along this road were volcanoes or mixed up in volcanic treachery. Desert View Drive at Grand Canyon National Park offers several outstanding overlooks. 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